JP2959956B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce burden of an operator and improve operability by dividing a data of article names in a PLU file of a commodity information memory means into a plurality of blocks and deleting the data of article names stored in an edit memory by reading from the PLU file starting from a block whose priority order is low. CONSTITUTION:A PLU file 31 is provided with a block information area 44 which divides a data of article names into a plurality of blocks and stores a data of the number of characters at every block, and a priority information area 45 for storing a data of priority order at every block. An edit memory 32 is provided for storing the data of article names read from the PLU file 31. When the number of characters of the data of article names stored in the edit memory 32 is larger than the number of printable characters in an article name column of a label paper, a data whose priority order is low in the article name data stored in the edit memory 32 is firstly deleted based on the priority order data in the priority information area 45 and the article name data read from the PLU file 31 is edited so as to automatically set the number of characters printable in the article name column of the label paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a PLU (price look
up) A label printer which has a file and prints at least a product name on predetermined label paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some conventional label printers include a PLU file storing product information for each product. This PLU file generally stores product information such as product name and unit price for each product code (product number).
When printing a label, enter the product number of the corresponding product.
Product information such as the product name and unit price of the corresponding product is called from the PLU file. For example, the price is calculated based on the weight data and unit price supplied from a scale provided separately or integrally with the label printer, and the product name is added to the label. , Unit price and price are printed.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional label printer, the product name data is stored in the PLU file for each product, and based on the product name data stored in the PLU file, the product name is stored in the label. Print the product name.

There is also known a label printer that can use a plurality of types of label paper having different label widths. The number of printable characters that can be printed on one line (one line) of the label paper is limited by the label width, and the number of printable characters of the product name on the label paper is also limited according to this limitation.

If the number of printable characters in the item name column on the label paper is larger than the number of characters of the item name data stored in the PLU file, all the item name data stored in the PLU file can be printed. When label paper with a narrow label width is used, if the number of printable characters in the product name column on the label paper is smaller than the number of characters of product name data stored in the PLU file, all product name data cannot be printed.

As described above, when the number of printable characters in the item name column on the label paper is smaller than the number of characters of the item name data stored in the PLU file, the conventional label printer uses the item name data equivalent to the shortage. There was a problem that the data at the end could not be completely printed.

[0007] As a countermeasure, the product name data set in the PLU file is reset by the operator so that it is within the number of printable characters in the product name column of the label paper. Such an operation of resetting the item name data of the PLU file places a burden on the operator, and this resetting operation takes a long time, resulting in poor operability.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a label printer that can automatically edit product name data from a PLU file so that the number of printable characters in a product name column of label paper can be reduced.

[0009]

The present invention comprises product information storage means for storing product information such as a product name for each product,
In a label printer that calls up product information from the product information storage unit and prints product information including at least the product name on a predetermined label sheet, the product name information stored in the product information storage unit is divided into a plurality of blocks for each product. A block information storage unit that divides and stores character number information of each block; a priority setting unit that stores priority information of each block; and whether the number of characters of the product name information is larger than the number of characters that can be printed on label paper. When the number of characters of the item name information is determined to be greater than the number of printable characters by the number of characters determination unit to determine whether or not the number of characters of the item name information is smaller than the number of printable characters, the priority order setting unit Product name editing means for sequentially deleting blocks having lower priorities based on the stored priority information and editing product name information; It is intended.

[0010]

In the present invention having such a configuration, the product name information stored in the product information storage means is divided into a plurality of blocks for each product, and the character number information of each block is stored in the block information means. In addition, information on the priority of each block is stored by the priority setting means.

[0011] The number-of-characters determining means determines whether or not the number of characters of the product name information stored in the product information storage means is greater than the number of characters that can be printed on the label paper, and determines that the number of characters of the product name information is greater than the number of printable characters. Then, until the number of characters of the item name information becomes equal to or less than the number of printable characters, the item name editing unit sequentially deletes the blocks of lower priority based on the priority information stored by the priority order setting unit and edits the item name information. Is done.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a main part of an electronic toll scale with a label printer to which the present invention is applied.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU (centr) constituting a control unit main body.
al processing unit).

A ROM (read only memory) 2 in which program data for processing performed by the CPU 1 is stored,
A RAM (random access memory) 3 in which areas of various memories used when the PU 1 performs processing, and an A / D (analogue / analog / analog) for converting an output signal from a weighing unit 4 for weighing a product into digital data. digital) 5, Keyboard 6
Interface 7 for controlling the transmission of data to and from the display, a display controller 9 for controlling the display 8, and a DP RAM connected to a printing device 10 for printing on labels.
(Dual port random access memory) 11 are connected to the CPU 1 via a system bus 12.

The DP RAM 11 stores commands and print data from the CPU 1 side, and also stores status from the printing apparatus 10 side. That is, the CPU 1 executes the D
The status stored in the P-RAM 11 is read, the status of the printing device 10 is confirmed based on the status, and commands and print data are stored in the DP RAM 11.
Write to. On the other hand, the printing device 10 includes the DPR
The command and print data written in the AM 11 are read, the label is printed based on the print data in accordance with the command, and the status indicating the current state (for example, waiting for printing, printing in progress, etc.) is indicated by the D.・ P ・ RA
Write to M11.

The RAM 3 is formed with a PLU file 31 as a merchandise information storage means and an editing memory 32 for editing a product name. The PLU file 31 includes:
As shown in FIG. 2, a product number area 41, a unit price area 42, a product name area 43, a block information area 44 as block information storage means, a priority information area 45 as priority order setting means, and the like are formed for each product. The block information area 44 and the priority information area 45 have three blocks corresponding to the A block, the B block, and the C block, respectively.
Individual areas are formed.

Although not shown, the keyboard 6 is provided with various keys such as a mode switch, a block key, a priority 1 key, a priority 2 key, a priority 3 key, and a numeric keypad.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of the PLU setting process performed by the CPU 1 in the PLU setting mode.

First, as a process of step 1 (ST1), it is determined whether or not a key input from the keyboard 6 is a key input for specifying a product name (part number input). Here, if it is not a key input for specifying the product name, another setting process is performed, and when the other setting process is completed, the process returns to the above-described step 1 again.

If the key input from the keyboard 6 is a key input for designating a product name, 0 is set in a character number counter, a block counter, and a data counter (all not shown) formed in the RAM 3.

Next, as a process of step 2 (ST2), it is determined whether or not a character code has been input from the keyboard 6.

Here, if the character code is inputted from the keyboard 6, it is determined whether or not the count value of the character number counter is 23 as the number of printable characters on the label paper. Here, if the count value of the character number counter is 23, error processing is performed as a character number over error.

The count value of the character number counter is 23.
If not (if less than 23), the processing of adding +1 to the count value of the character counter and the processing of adding +1 to the count value of the data counter are performed, and the number of characters is added to the product name area 43 of the PLU file 31. The input character code is set using the count value of the counter as the writing start pointer. When the setting of the character code is completed, the process returns to the above-described step 2 again.

In the above-described step 2, the keyboard 6
If no character code has been input from, it is determined whether or not a block key has been input.

Here, if the block key has not been input from the keyboard 6, it is determined whether or not an input for terminating the product name input has been performed from the keyboard 6. here,
When the input for terminating the product name is input from the keyboard 6, the process returns to the step 1 again. If the input for terminating the product name has not been input from the keyboard 6, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 2 again.

When a block key is input from the keyboard 6, it is determined whether the count value of the block counter is 3 as the maximum number of blocks. here,
If the count value of the block counter is 3, error processing is performed as a block over error.

When the count value of the block counter is 3
If not (if less than 3), a process of adding +1 to the count value of the block counter is performed.

Next, an area corresponding to the count value of the block counter in the block information area 44 of the PLU file 31 (for example, if the count value is 1, the A block area of the block information area 44;
If the block area and the count value are 3, the C block area corresponds), and set the count value of the data counter at that time.

When the setting of the block information area 44 is completed, the data counter is set to 0, and a priority information setting process described later is performed. When the priority information setting process ends, the process returns to the above-described step 2 again.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of the priority information setting process described above.

First, as a process of step 3 (ST3), it is determined whether or not a key input by the first priority key of the keyboard 6 has been performed.

Here, if the key input by the priority 1 key is performed, the priority information area 45 of the PLU file 31
It is determined whether or not the priority information 1 has already been set in. Here, if priority information 1 has already been set,
Error processing is performed as a priority order doubling error.

If the priority information 1 is not set in the priority information area 45, 1 is set in an area corresponding to the count value of the block counter in the priority information area 45, and the priority information setting process is completed. It is supposed to.

In the process of step 3 described above, the keyboard 6
If the key input by the first priority key has not been performed, it is determined whether or not the key input by the second priority key has been performed as the process of step 4 (ST4).

Here, if the key input by the priority 2 key is performed, it is determined whether or not the priority information 2 is already set in the priority information area 45. Here, if the priority information 2 has already been set, an error process is performed as a priority order double error.

If the priority information 2 is not set in the priority information area 45, 2 is set in an area corresponding to the count value of the block counter in the priority information area 45, and the priority information setting processing is completed. It is supposed to.

In the process of step 4 described above, the keyboard 6
If the key input by the priority 2 key has not been performed, it is determined whether the key input by the priority 3 key has been performed.
Here, if the key input by the priority 3 key is not performed, the process returns to the above-described step 3 again.

When the key input by the priority 3 key is performed, it is determined whether or not the priority information 3 has already been set in the priority information area 45. Here, if the priority information 3 has already been set, an error process is performed as a priority order double error.

If the priority information 3 is not set in the priority information area, 3 is set in an area corresponding to the count value of the block counter in the priority information area 45, and the priority information setting processing is terminated. It has become.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a product name editing process performed by the CPU 1 in the label issuing mode.

First, the product name data of the corresponding product number, the block name and the priority information are read from the PLU file 31 and stored in the editing memory 32 formed in the RAM 3 based on the specified conditions such as paper. The number of printable characters thus obtained is set in a storage area M (not shown) formed in the RAM 3.

Next, as the process of step 5 (ST5), the number of product name characters obtained by adding all the numerical values of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 is set in a storage area N (not shown) formed in the RAM 3. .

Next, it is determined whether or not the number N of product name characters set in the storage area N is equal to or less than the number M of printable characters set in the storage area M (character number determination means). Here, if the number N of item name characters is equal to or less than the number M of printable characters, it is determined that there is no need for editing, and the item name editing process is terminated.

If the number N of product name characters is larger than the number M of printable characters, it is determined whether or not the priority information stored in the editing memory 32 is all 0 except for the priority information 1. Here, if all except for priority information 1 are 0,
It is determined that further editing is impossible, and the product name editing process is terminated.

In this case, data indicating that all the product names are printed and not clean may be set in the RAM 3 or the like in the product name column to notify the occurrence of an editing error.

If the priority information stored in the editing memory 32 is not 0 except for the priority information 1, that is, if it is determined that one or both of 2 and 3 are present, step 6 (ST6) In the process (1), it is determined whether or not a numerical value larger than the numerical value of the priority information set in the A block of the priority information is set in another block.

Here, if the numerical value larger than the numerical value set in the A block of the priority information is not set in other blocks, the numerical value set in the A block of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 Is set as the number of characters to be deleted, and the deletion pointer is set to 0.

From the item name data stored in the editing memory 32, data corresponding to the set number of deleted characters (from the beginning of the item name data) is deleted from the set deletion pointer 0, and the remaining item name data is pointed to. A process for packing the data so that it starts from 0 is performed.

Next, 0 is assigned to the A block of the block information and the A block of the priority information stored in the edit memory 32.
Is set (article name editing means), and the process returns to step 5 described above.

In the processing of step 6 described above, the priority information A
If a numerical value larger than the numerical value of the priority information set in the block is set in another block, step 7 (S
In the process of T7), it is determined whether a numerical value larger than the numerical value set in the B block of the priority information is set in another block.

Here, if a numerical value larger than the numerical value set in the B block of the priority information is not set in another block, the numerical value set in the B block of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 Is set as the number of characters to be deleted, and the numerical value of the A block of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 is set as the delete pointer.

From the product name data stored in the editing memory 32, data corresponding to the number of characters to be deleted set from the set deletion pointer is deleted, and the remaining product name data is deleted so that there is no free space. Perform processing.

Next, 0 is assigned to the B block of the block information and the B block of the priority information stored in the edit memory 32.
Is set (article name editing means), and the process returns to step 5 described above.

In the processing of the above-described step 6, the priority information B
If a numerical value larger than the numerical value set in the block is set in another block (C block), the numerical value set in the C block of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 is set as the number of characters to be deleted. , The deletion pointer is set to A of the block information stored in the edit memory 32.
The result of adding the numerical value of the block and the numerical value of the B block is set.

From the item name data stored in the edit memory 32, data corresponding to the number of deleted characters set from the set delete pointer is deleted, and the C block and the priority of the block information stored in the edit memory 32 are deleted. The C block of the information is set to 0 (article name editing means), and the process returns to the step 5 again.

In the present embodiment having such a configuration, the item name data is set by a character code. In the product name area 43 in FIG. 2, the characters (images) corresponding to the character codes are shown, but the character codes are set in the order of the characters. Note that the triangle in Fig. 2 is a space (one character margin)
It shows.

For the product number 0001, the data of three characters "special delta" is the product name data of the A block. In addition, the third Δ mark indicates a space, and this Δ mark is used as a space similarly in accordance with FIG.

Further, data of seven characters including the seventh space of "Japanese beef loin .DELTA." Is the product name data of the B block. Further, data of 9 characters “(for shabu-shabu)” is the product name data of the C block.

In this input setting method, first, the character code of “special”, the character code of “selection”, and the code of “Δ” (space) are input, and then “special Δ” is set to A by inputting the block key. It is set as a block, and 3 is set in the A block of the block information area 44. Further, by inputting the priority 3 key, 3 is set in the A block of the priority information area 45.

Next, "sum", "cow", "b", "-",
After inputting the character codes of “S”, “Meat”, and “Δ” (space), by inputting the block key, “Wagyu loin meat Δ” is set as a B block. 7 is set in the block. Further, by inputting the priority 1 key, 1 is set in the B block of the priority information area 45.

Next, “(”, “shi”, “ゃ”, “bu”,
After entering each character code of "shi", "ゃ", "bu", "for", ")", enter the block key,
"(Shabu-shabu)" is set as C block,
2 is set in the B block of the block information area 44. Further, by inputting the priority 2 key, 2 is set in the C block of the priority information area 45.

Here, it is assumed that when a 55 mm label is used, 23 characters can be printed as a product name, and when a 48 mm label is used, 18 characters can be printed as a product name.

That is, when a label of 55 mm is used, 23 characters are set as the number of printable characters. Therefore, the product name of the above-mentioned part number 0001 "special delta wagyu loin meat delta (for shabu-shabu)" is 19 characters. Can be printed.

However, when a label of 48 mm is used, 18 characters are set as the number of printable characters, so that the product name of the product number 0001 cannot be printed because it has 19 characters. Therefore, an article name editing process is automatically performed. That is, until the product name data stored in the edit memory 32 becomes equal to or less than the number of printable characters, the item name data is sequentially deleted in descending order of priority information. In the part number 0001, the data of “special Δ” set in the A block in which the priority information 3 is set is deleted.

Then, the product name of the product number 0001 stored in the editing memory 32 is “Japanese beef loin Δ (for shabu-shabu).
) "(16 characters), and in the block information area 44, the A block is 0, the B block is 7, and the C block is 9
In the priority information area 45, A block is 0, B
The block is 1 and the C block is 2.

In actual printing, the product name data, price data, and the like are drawn on the drawing memory based on the product name data and other data stored in the editing memory 32, and the drawn contents are printed on a label. You.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the PLU file 31 divides the item name data into a plurality of blocks, and stores the block information area 44 for storing the number-of-characters data for each block, and the priority order for each block. A priority information area 45 for storing data and an editing memory 32 for storing product name data read from the PLU file 31 are provided. The number of characters of the product name data stored in the editing memory 32 can be printed in the product name column of the label paper. If the number of characters is larger than the number of characters, the item name data stored in the edit memory 32 is deleted from the data having the lower order of priority based on the data of the order of priority in the priority information area 45, thereby printing the item name data in the item name column of the label paper. By editing until the number of characters becomes less than the number of possible characters, it automatically fits in the number of printable characters in the label paper item name column. , It is possible to edit the item name data read from the PLU file 31.

In this embodiment, the number of characters is changed in accordance with the label width. For example, the number of characters to be printed in the product name is set for each of a plurality of print formats. The number of characters may be determined.

Since the words having lower priority are automatically deleted according to the priority order, important terms can be automatically selected and the product name data can be edited. Is the best product name.

Therefore, there is no burden for the operator to change the product name, and there is no time loss, and the product name data can be printed in the product name column of the label paper without breaking characters, thereby improving the operability. .

In this embodiment, the product name printing column is shown in one line. However, in the case where the product name can be printed in two lines, when the label width is changed and the product cannot be printed in two lines, the priority order is changed. Low blocks may be deleted.

If a character is shifted to the left end when a block with a low priority is deleted, it is possible to widen the character interval to an appropriate interval or to print in the center of the print area.

[0074]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
The product name data of the PLU file is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the product name data read from the PLU file and stored in the editing memory is deleted from the blocks with lower priorities so that the number of printable characters in the product name column of the label paper can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to provide a label printer that can automatically edit the product name data from the PLU file, reduce the burden on the operator, and improve the operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a main part of an electronic toll scale with a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a PL of the electronic toll scale with a label printer according to the embodiment.
The figure which shows the memory structure of a U file.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a flow of a PLU setting process performed by the electronic fee scale with a label printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a flow of priority information setting processing performed by the electronic fee scale with a label printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a flow of an article name editing process performed by the electronic fee scale with a label printer of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... CPU, 6 ... Keyboard, 31 ... PLU file, 32 ... Edit memory.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 5/30 B41J 3/407 B65C 9/46

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Product information storage means for storing product information such as product name for each product, product information is called from the product information storage means, and product information including at least the product name is printed on a predetermined label paper. In the label printer, for each product, the product name information stored in the product information storage unit is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the block information storage unit storing the number-of-characters information of each block; and the priority order of each block. Priority setting means in which information is stored; character number determining means for determining whether the number of characters of the product name information is greater than the number of characters printable on label paper; and the number of characters of the product name information being printed by the character number determining means. When it is determined that the number of characters is larger than the number of printable characters, the priority stored in the priority order setting means is reduced until the number of characters of the product name information becomes equal to or less than the number of printable characters. A label printer characterized by comprising a product name editing means for editing product name information by sequentially deleting blocks having lower priorities based on the information of the priorities.